THE DAY IT ALL BEGAN

Senior year is going to be one of the best years of my life. I know, today is only my first day but how could it not be a wonderful year? Grandma gave me an early present for my eighteenth birthday which is in two months. She got me a cute red convertible! Even though just during the summer she had refused me asking for a car and told me I wouldn’t be getting one till I was going off to college. I can’t wait to see the look on Tony’s face when I drive into the parking lot with my awesome ride. I had texted him last night telling him not to pick me up this morning because I had a surprise for him in school.

I know I’m early, Grandma hadn’t come up to check on me like she does every morning before I leave for school. Well good days have to start early, don’t they? I take one last look at my self in the mirror and wink at my reflection before going downstairs for breakfast. As I approach the hallway, I can hear voices speaking in hums and hushed tones. The kitchen door is shut and as I get closer, I can hear grandma’s voice along with some unfamiliar voices. I’m not sure if I should go in because grandma seems to be in the middle of a serious conversation.

‘Grandma?’ I call out softly but audibly. The place goes quiet for a second and then I hear grandma cheerfully call me to come in. I’m relieved she sounds cheerful, I was getting a little worried.

I step into the kitchen and grandma is already walking towards me with a nervous and suspicious smile on her face. She hugs me

‘Morning Annie’

‘Morning Grandma’ I tell her and then over her shoulder, I see two strangers standing by the kitchen sink. A man and a woman.They are both dressed smartly, the man in a loose black shirt, jeans and boots. The woman wore a simple shirt, jeans and boots. The woman walks forward smiling.

‘Hy Annie’ The woman greets me. I feel strange, there’s a very strong scent here and even though it’s not unpleasant, I feel like I need to sit down. The lady seems very familiar, like I have seen her somewhere before, funnily, so does the man, but I can’t remember ever meeting them.

‘Do I know you?’ I ask and before I get an answer, I feel very lightheaded and Grandma leads me to a chair to sit.

The strange familiar woman offers me water and as I thanked her, I wondered if the glass of water was there already because that was very fast.

‘We’re glad to know that our connection is still whole.’ The woman says

‘Connection?’ I ask

‘Can we not jump into this?’ Grandma says through gritted teeth.

‘There’s no time for this Joan, you have to let this go.’ The man speaks up calmly not leaving the sink.

‘Let her go, you mean? That life is not for her.’ Grandma seems to be getting heated. I can feel her arm shaking around me. 'She isn't ready, she is not for all that.'

‘At least let her decide.’ The woman says

‘Decide what?’ I say loudly. They were starting to bicker and even though the scent wasn’t as strong anymore, I still felt lightheaded. They’re quiet now. Grandma sits opposite me.

'To stay here and be killed or come home and train to achieve your fullest potential and end this war.'

Grandma stood up very fast that her chair almost tipped over and she didn’t even look angry, she looked Alarmed and scared.

I wanted to laugh.What war? Or dip my head in cold water. Killed? Me? Is this a joke? It sounds like a joke but everyone looks so serious here. I can feel my throat go dry.

‘I don’t understand’ my shaky voice says. ‘Grandma, what’s going on?’

Grandma is still starring at Sheryl but then she turns towards me and I see tears in her eyes. She sits back down slowly and reaches for my hand.

‘I should have told you, Annie. I should have told you a long time ago.’ She says

‘Grandma can you tell me what’s going on?’ I wanted to explode. I really wanted to. I still felt lightheaded and I felt sick too.

‘I lied to you Annie. Your parents didn’t die in a plane crash.’ She sighed as she said this turned to Sheryl who nodded her head and then turned back to me.

‘They were killed at war.’

It was like the more grandma spoke, the more confusing whatever was going on got.

‘Like they were soldiers?’ Was that what she meant?

‘No baby, werewolves.’ Grandma said looking me straight in the eyes.

I hear myself chuckle but grandma doesn’t smile. She’s serious.

‘Werewolves grandma? Like werewolves from the movies grandma.’ My grandma shook her head and she looked so sadly at me.

‘ No Annie, werewolves are real. Your parents were, I am, you are, they are.’ She turns towards them briefly.

My head is spinning. ‘I don’t know what to say’

‘Annie, your grandma is right and I know all this must come confusing to you’ Sheryl says. I lean back dizzily into the chair

‘And don’t worry, soon your body will feel normal again. Whatever you’re feeling is because you haven’t come in contact with any of your pack members in a while. It shows that you’re still connected to us.’

‘Pack members?’ I whispered

‘Pack members are a group-‘

I cut the man short ‘ I know what pack members are’

‘Annie, I’m Kelt, I was your father’s Be- Close friend.’ I would like you to remain as calm as you can be and get ready to understand what we are going to explain to you.’

I don’t know why but the man’s voice is soothing and firm and before I know it, my heartbeat is slowing and I am nodding my head.

Kelt faces grandma and he sounds soothing and softer this time

‘I thought her protection is your priority, Isn’t that why you gave up so much? You can’t fight them alone, You can’t fight him alone. I know how you feel but this is what she is meant to do.This is what they wanted. It is time Joan. Time for her. This is what they wanted.’ He holds grandma’s stare for a while and when she suddenly breaks away Kelt walks to us and sits on a stool .

‘You’re saying I’m a werewolf, not a human being?’ I still think I might be dreaming

Kelt gives me a ‘we’re still there?’ look but settles with rolling his eyes and nodding his head.

‘Your life is in very grave danger, Annie. You need to come with us, NOW!’ He says sounding urgent but still acting relaxed. He sounds crazy too.

‘I- what about school? Tony/ MY FRIENDS?’

‘You won’t be seeing them either if you’re dead now, will you?’

I gasp. I glare at the strange man who calls himself Kelt. What exactly is happening? Some dream? I look out the window and I can see vehicles drive by and people hurrying off to places. I am still in New York, and it is still a busy Monday morning. Still the first day of school after summer. I turn around and these new faces are still here, in fact they seem to be waiting for me to say something. I can’t explain how I feel right now. This all sound stupid but why do I feel like it’s real. Something about me is so calm with all this. I turn to grandma who looks so solemn that I want to start running to wherever with these guys. I stand up from the chair and crouch beside her, I reach out and clasp her hands with mine.

‘Talk to me grandma.’ I plead with my eyes. This can’t be a movie. My grandma has only been this scared when she got the call that I had been an accident with john my neighbor and a few other friends from school. In all my years I’ve lived with grandma that was the only time I had seen her scarred when she was visiting me in the hospital. Then there’s now of course. She looks like I’m dead already.

‘We need to go with them Annie. I will explain later but for now get what you need. I can’t tell how long we’ll be gone’

‘Or if you’ll be back’ Kelt says while biting into an apple

Grandma snorts. I go back upstairs

So many thoughts are going through my head as I throw my stuff into bags. What is going on? Am I really a werewolf? Why haven’t I transformed? Can I transform? What do I tell tony? What happens when I miss so much of school? AM I really a werewolf? Does someone really want me dead? Is this real? I have to admit that was genuinely all i could think of. If this was real

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a figure just behind me and impulsively I duck while striking out my left leg but whoever it is gracefully and swiftly moves to the side while I quickly balance myself while crouching.

‘That was very impressive’ Kelt says looking more surprised than affected by the hit he just missed.

I stand up quickly ‘Why are you sneaking up on me? I would have hit you hard, I was tensed.’

He snorted rudely as if to say ‘As if’

‘I walk lightly, you just didn’t hear me come in. Which is poor of you of course’ He is mocking me.

I swallow. I am a very well trained fighter, I have been training martial arts since I was just six years old. Grandma also makes sure I train often with her.

‘I was just very distracted, Grandma says its okay to get distracted as far as you get back on track. And I did. You’re still standing because you’re you.’

To my annoyance, Kelt doesn’t look shaken, he is rather amused. In fact he lets out what I can call a small laugh.

‘Of course, so much fire like Diane. I hope you take their openness to growth too. They were so committed to reaching their full potential. They were hungry for more of themselves even if they knew how great they already were.’ He picks up two of my bags and when he’s at the door he stops ‘And yet so humble’.

‘I cant wait for you to meet the others’ He says.

Then he was gone. I listened for footsteps but I heard none despite the weight of the boxes. I wonder if that’s a werewolf thing or a Kelt thing. I settled with a Kelt thing considering Grandma is apparently a werewolf too and on some days her footsteps can be heard all over the house.

Kelt was definitely talking about my parents. He mentioned my mother’s name. Diane. Diane and Roge. At least grandma didn’t lie about that. I won’t lie, I feel unhappy that all this has been hidden for me but one thing I know, I can trust my grandma with my life. Whatever she did to protect me. I’m still waiting for someone to tell me this is all a joke but With that look on her face, I would believe anything now.

And what did Kelt mean when he said the others? Who are the others?